Order of the Stick

Dave_Markell · 2009-02-13T20:36:19.000Z

Probably not the only one, but I love pretty much every strip. Fanboy? Sure. If you’re jaded, walk away for months and catch up in one big blast. I think you’ll be surprised. His pacing is superb–when you don’t have to wait days for each strip, you see just how good at it he is.

quatoria · 2009-02-14T01:30:06.000Z

I’ve been reading it for a couple years now. It’s not an issue of pacing - I’m just… not interested in the story he’s telling, anymore. So, yeah, you’re right, I guess I should stop reading for a while.

rajah_sulayman · 2009-02-14T02:03:01.000Z

Honestly, I’m pretty tired of the whole “turning V to the Dark Side” plotline, myself. I understand that he had to make it a gradual thing otherwise it just wouldn’t sell, but V is one of the least-fun or interesting characters, so I honestly couldn’t care about the sell. Just send V over and get back to the fun people.

noun · 2009-02-14T07:18:41.000Z

The problem is V’s always been the straight man to the other, more interesting characters. The single plot development going for V is the ongoing speculation as to his/her’s gender. That’s it.

Jamie_Madigan · 2009-02-14T07:25:01.000Z

noun:

The problem is V’s always been the straight man to the other, more interesting characters. The single plot development going for V is the ongoing speculation as to his/her’s gender. That’s it.

This is kind of key. V isn’t funny by himself. He has to be there for someone to play off him, especially Belkar.

quatoria · 2009-02-14T12:48:59.000Z

noun:

The problem is V’s always been the straight man to the other, more interesting characters. The single plot development going for V is the ongoing speculation as to his/her’s gender. That’s it.

This is the prime reason why only the Haley / Belkar sequences work for me, anymore. The cast had a specific chemistry that made them work together. Since they’ve been split up, that chemistry has been absent, and we’ve been left with characters who just don’t work that well on their own. Durkan, Elan, and Hinjo are at least tolerable, but, christ, when’s the last time we saw them? If it hadn’t been for the awesome ‘sexy shoeless god of war’ reprise, I’d probably have stopped reading months ago.

Dejin · 2009-02-14T14:41:53.000Z

Morkilus:

I recommend the offline-only books wholeheartedly. Start of Darkness is a wonderful story, especially now when we see nothing of the original bad guys.

Ughh. While I like the offline books and in general strongly recommend them, I did not like Start of Darkness at all. Those guys are really messed up.

Sebmojo · 2009-02-15T00:51:23.000Z

Dave Markell:

Probably not the only one, but I love pretty much every strip. Fanboy? Sure. If you’re jaded, walk away for months and catch up in one big blast. I think you’ll be surprised. His pacing is superb–when you don’t have to wait days for each strip, you see just how good at it he is.

No, I’m with you - and not just because I started the thread. Like you say - give it up for a bit if it’s driving you crazy. His pacing is perfect, it’s just that he’s writing Lord of the Rings … one… page … at …a …time.

Dirt · 2009-02-16T23:21:27.000Z

The imp is a leftie, surely the sign of the devil.

I guess the Order of the Stick folk are special.

Varsuuvius’ kids are adopted?

Rasputin · 2009-02-17T01:57:41.000Z

I’m calling it: Both V and her mate are women. There’s the adopted progeny line, and rereading War and XPs there’s a scene where Belkar and Durkon and gawping at two female paladins making out and V says, “I see nothing out of the ordinary here.”

So yeah, I think they’re both wimmin.

Dave_Perkins · 2009-02-17T04:19:27.000Z

I called that a page ago.

Edit: We can both call it, though.

jeffd · 2009-02-17T10:11:50.000Z

For some reason I’ve always thought of V as a woman. No clue why though.

Rimbo · 2009-02-17T17:48:29.000Z

My Three Fiends

Edit: Phooey on those who said that this storyline wouldn’t be any fun. :)

Aeon221 · 2009-02-17T18:05:38.000Z

Rimbo:

My Three Fiends

Edit: Phooey on those who said that this storyline wouldn’t be any fun. :)

I should have known better than to trust you, deceiver!

Rimbo · 2009-02-17T21:46:28.000Z

Seriously. The new guys remind me so much of Universal Poker.

Sarkus · 2009-02-18T00:28:08.000Z

What good does an “Advanced Time Stop covering this island” do when the dragon portaled away from the island?

Arioch · 2009-02-18T01:51:29.000Z

I think that V’s gender will continue to be shrouded in mystery, and the “adopted progeny” line will either be a future plot point or the reason why we won’t be able to deduce his/her gender even if that of his mate is revealed.

Dejin · 2009-02-18T03:37:10.000Z

Sarkus:

What good does an “Advanced Time Stop covering this island” do when the dragon portaled away from the island?

I’m assuming the implication is that they can discuss “the offer” without having to worry about V’s children getting gobbled while the discussion is taking place. It doesn’t in itself help with dealing with the dragon. Presumably the dragon is time-freezed somewhere in the vicinity of V’s spouse until the time stop ends. Although I’m not entirely sure what the “covering this island” means. It might mean anything on the island is not time frozen and everything off of the island is.

Ed_Solomon · 2009-02-18T06:26:29.000Z

Sarkus:

What good does an “Advanced Time Stop covering this island” do when the dragon portaled away from the island?

Apparently, Time Stop doesn’t actually stop time, it just speeds up time for the caster. So I’m guessing “Advanced Time Stop covering the island” means everything on the island is speeded up.

Tortilla · 2009-02-18T06:38:42.000Z

In other words, for places not on the island, time is effectively stopped. So they can dicker for a week and the dragon hasn’t gotten any closer to eating V’s littleheads.